Elevated central header for gas lifts



' April. 29, 1930. I c. MAl-'esl-mm.A v l I 1,756,830

ELEVATED CENTRAL HEADERFOR GAS LIFTS Filed July 1B, v192'/ BY f f K ATTORNEY Paamted Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES' -PATE "FFICE HARRY C. MARSHALL, OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION OIL COMPANYy OF CALIFORNIA, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA., A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA LEYATED CENTRAL HEADER FOR GAS LIFTS Application filed July 18,

This invention relates to gas lift systems for Wells and more particularly to systems for the recovery of oil wherein a plurality of headers, each under a-diiferent gas pressure, is required for the operation of a plurality of wells.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a structure which will render all control valves readily accessible to the operator, and whereby a centralized plant capable of operating a number yof wells may be easily handled by a single attendant.

Briefly stated, the invention resides in a plurality of headers which are elevated at appreciable distances above the ground (e. g. from two to six feet), a plurality of manifolds adapted to convey different pressures and joined to the various headers, and a plurality of tubing connections or risers, extending vertically between the various headers and gas lines leading to the wells. Pref- 2 erably, the headers are spaced vertically.

Preferably also, each manifold is joined by valved connections to each header, and risers, having valved connections, lead from each header to each gas line. Thus, by elevating the lower header two or three feet and the uppermost header ve or six feet, all valves will be freely accessible to the attendant.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a form of the invention adapted for the application of gas lift to the recovery of petroleum from deep wells, the construction being such that either pressure may be applied to either header at will, and gas under such pressures may be conducted from either header to any or all of a plurality of wells.

High and low pressure manifolds 1 and'2, respectively,extend vertically from below the ground or floor, to the elevated vertically spaced headers 3 and 4, of which the header 3 will be considered normallyto carry the high pressure and the header 4 will be considered normally to carry the low pressure. Said pressures are applied by means of compressors, not shown, leading to the lower ends of said manifolds. In order that either pressure may be applied to yeither header, the high pressure manifold l is connected with necessary, such condition also 1927. Serial No. 206,685.

header 3 by'means of a pipe 5 controlled by valve 6 and with header 4 by means of a connection 7 cont-rolled by valve 8, while manifold 2 is connected. with header 3 by a pipe y9 controlled by valve 10 and with header 4 by means of a connection 11 controlled by' valve 12.

A plurality of risers 15 controlled by valves 16 extend vertically upwardfrom an equal number of gas lines 17 to the header 3, and a plurality of risersv18 controlled by valves 19L extend upward from said gas lines 17 to the header 4. For convenience, the gas lines17 preferably are disposed below the ground or floor level and ektend away from the central header system to the various walls W', to the oil string 2O of which the gas under desired pressure will be passed through valve 21 by way of the casing head 22 to induce the flow of gas and oil upward through the flow pipe The elevation of the headers 3 and 4 above ground level and the spacingof the header 3 above the header 4 affords the marked advantage that the high and low pressure control valves 6, 8, I0 and 12, are also elevated and arranged in'such positions that the operator will have ready access tthem' should it be desired to cut ol a compressor or to transfer a given pressure from one header to another. Likewise, the elevation of' the y headers 3 and 4'and their vertical spacing,

results in the location of the valves 16 and 19 of the risers in such position that these also are readily accessible to the operator.v The convenience of access by the attendant'will be seen to be particularly'desirable, if not necessary, when it is considered that this system is often subject to such pressure changes that access for quick adjustment is frequently necessary. The construction by reason of the spacing and elevation also presents the variious valves andl connections injsuch position that they are conveniently arranged and exposed for easy access when welding, repair or replacement is required. Since it occasionally happens that a valve becomes damaged 'and repair or replacement thereof becomes makes ready l access desirable.

f therefore in order that the highest pressure for this purpose.

header may be preserved for the high pres# sure required for starting. In the form shown, low pressure for normal operation will be passed through risers 18 and open valve 19 to the wells, valve 16A being closed In order to start a well where the high pressure is required the valve v19l for the respective well will be closed and valve 16 open. y

Should one of the valves 19 become damaged and its'replacement be required, the high pressure vto the header 1 and manifold 3 may be cut 0H and the valve 6 closed. The valve 10 may then b e opened and the low pressure applied therethrough to the header 3, the valve 12 being closed to cut off pressure to the header 4. The undamaged valves 19 will be closed and the correspondingv valves 16 opened whereby low pressure gas coming from the header 3 will be supplied to the lines 17 on corresponding wells. By closing the valve 16 to the line 17 whose valve 19 should be repaired, only that Well whose valve 19 is being repaired will have to bepshut down during such repair. reach and manipulate the various valves conveniently and easily when switching over from one header to another, is very important and depends upon the elevation of the headers, which elevation is responsible for the convenience of valve arrangement.

The 'present construction has resulted in materially improving gas lift operation and in simplifying the method of handling a series of wells. Control, now, is accurately maintained at all times and supervision has been made simple.

The above disclosures are to be considered not as limiting but as merely illustrative, and

folds arising from approximately the ground level to said headers, a' plurality of tubing connections arising from approximatelythe ground level to said headers, and valves dis- 1 posed between said headers and said manifolds and connections, whereby all parts are exposed for convenient access.

The feature of being able to apparatus, a plurality of' vated from the ground level, a plurality 0fmanifolds conveying gas under pressure to said headers and a plurality of lines for conveying gas from said headers, each header .and each line having connection with each manifold, and a valve control for each connection.

3. In gas lift apparatus, a plurality of headers, said headers being elevated above the ground level and spaced vertically with respect to one another, a plurality `of'manifolds, each manifold having a valved connection with each header, means to supply gas under pressure to each manifold, a plurality of risers extending from approximately the ground level upward to each of said headers, a readily accessible valve in each riser, and a plurality of gas lines connected with each of said headers by means of said risers.

4. In gas lift apparatus, a plurality of headers materially elevatedv above the ground level and adapted to receive gas under different pressures, a plurality of gas lines adapted to lead to a pluralityv of wells, risers -for each gas line extending from approximately the ground level upward to each of said headers, and a control valve for each riser.

5. Gas lift apparatus comprising a plurality of headers adapted to carry different gas pressures, said headers being materially elevated above the ground level, a plurality of manifolds' adapted to convey gas under pressure and extending from the ground to said headers, at least one of said headers being connected with all of said manifolds, a valve control in each of said connections, a plurality of lines connected with each of said headers for conveying gas from said headers,

and a valve control for each line connection, said lines leading to the ground.

Signedl at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 9th day of July, A. D. 1927.

' HARRY C. MARSHALL. 

